You Can Try These Incredible Spirits at the BC Gin Festival

The The BC Gin Festival returns this weekend for its highly anticipated second year. Scheduled for March 29th at the Yaletown Roundhouse, the festival offers an extraordinary opportunity for both gin connoisseurs and curious newcomers to explore a diverse and exciting range of local and international gins.

Darryl Lamb, brand manager at Legacy Liquor Store and Taste of Legacy, shares his enthusiasm for the festival and its unique place within the broader landscape of beverage-focused events in British Columbia. While the region is known for its wine festivals and whiskey tastings, Lamb notes that a festival entirely dedicated to gin is still a relatively fresh and innovative concept. “We have whiskey shows, we have wine festivals, but nobody was really looking at gin specifically,” Lamb explained, emphasizing the distinctiveness of this event.

The BC Gin Festival prides itself on showcasing an impressive spectrum of gin styles—from the traditional London dry gins that have long been cocktail staples to boundary-pushing, experimental spirits crafted by daring distilleries. Bruinwood Distillery, for example, located on the Sunshine Coast, has created a one-of-a-kind roast beef gin. The distillery's creative process involved roasting half a cow, sautéing onions, and including mashed potatoes, all directly added into the gin vat, resulting in a spirit reminiscent of a rich, savory bouillon. Lamb describes this gin as incredibly functional and uniquely suited to innovative cocktail creations, demonstrating the festival's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what gin can be.

Another memorable innovation from the festival is James Gin from the UK, which produced an American mustard-infused gin that evokes powerful sensory memories. Daryll can personally attest to this gin, which transported him back to childhood days spent at baseball games, instantly recalling the aroma and taste of hot dogs at the ballpark. Such creations underscore gin's versatility and its ability to capture and convey complex, nostalgic experiences through flavor.

The festival will feature 195 different gins - making the show floor an immersive treasure of local and international gin. But the highlight of the festival might be the "Distiller’s Table" masterclasses series hosted by Taste of Legacy in the lead-up to the main event. These intimate, educational sessions are designed to give attendees deeper insights into the gin-making process and allow them to engage directly with renowned distillers and industry experts. One featured distillery is Salish Sea Distillery, known for incorporating locally harvested kelp from the Sunshine Coast into their gin, adding a uniquely coastal character. Another is Empress Gin from Victoria, locally and internationally recognized for its vibrant purple hue derived from butterfly pea flowers. Festival attendees can also look forward to learning about the unique botanical ingredients and innovative production methods used by Citadelle Gin from France, whose representative, Jim Romdall, will discuss the distillery's efforts to rehabilitate abandoned farmland in France into thriving juniper groves.

These masterclasses, capped at 25 attendees per session, prioritize education and meaningful interaction rather than sheer volume, creating an environment focused on exploration and understanding. This intimate format aligns with the philosophy behind Taste of Legacy, which aims to offer carefully curated experiences that resonate with guests long after the event concludes.

The BC Gin Festival also embodies a strong community-oriented ethos, leveraging its platform to support local charitable initiatives. A portion of the festival's proceeds will benefit the Indian Summer Festival, a celebrated annual arts and culture event. Legacy Liquor Store deeply values community engagement and cultural contribution and this partnership highlights the festival’s commitment to enriching Vancouver's cultural landscape.

Overall, the BC Gin Festival represents more than just a tasting event; it is a celebration of innovation, community, and the rich culture surrounding the art of distillation. Attendees can look forward to experiencing a variety of international gins, alongside standout local producers who are making significant impacts on the global stage. From Empress Gin who have rapidly achieved iconic status due to their unique color-changing properties and elegant flavor profile to Sons of Vancouver, who have also gained recognition for producing award-winning whiskey, there will be so much to learn and savour. Whether attendees are seasoned gin aficionados or newcomers eager to discover the versatile world of gin, the festival offers a welcoming, dynamic atmosphere filled with exploration, education, and community spirit.

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The BC Gin Festival
March 29 - 6pm to 8pm
Yaletown Roundhouse
Tickets